We’ve all been there. We were shooting perfectly well and then, on one drive, we inexplicably have the equivalent of a batting collapse. Just as perfectly competent batsmen seem incapable…
Shooting Times
Duck-flighting and dining with a Masterchef semi-finalist
Freddie Innes is a man who, like the majority who shoot, clearly shares a love of good food. At 26, Freddie is a young chef, yet he already boasts an…
How we can help nurture our wonderful woodcock
Woodcock have a reputation of being unpredictable in their movements, here today and gone tomorrow. So you could be forgiven for feeling that whether or not you shoot them makes…
It’s time to change the law on working gundog theft
Dog thefts, especially those of working gundogs, are on the rise. One of the great mysteries about stolen gundogs is what happens to them as almost all disappear without trace.…
What should I do about my dog’s dewclaws?
Dogs and dewclaws Q: My dog still has his dewclaws, but I’ve been told that these are usually removed soon after birth. Is it too late to have them removed…
Why the best Shots start out as rough shooters
Very often you will see a person’s true character when you drive game over them on a peg. It’s difficult for anyone to hide it. If you are greedy, lack…
Why poaching has been part of rural life for centuries
Poaching has been part and parcel of rural life for centuries, usually carried out to procure food or as a means of making a slightly better living than other country…
Coconut rabbit curry recipe
I love a good curry, especially a nice aromatic coconut one. I have written a handful of rabbit recipes over the past year, but this rabbit curry recipe is a…
How many antler points can a stag grow? And what are they called?
Q: How many points can a red stag in the wild be expected to grow when they are at their best in this country? And when it comes to stag…
Why the wild pheasant is the greatest test
’I remember the first time I was invited to a day of wild pheasants. It was a cold January morning and I stood on the edge of an old woodland…
My Labrador doesn’t like going into water. What can I do?
Q: I have a two-year-old Labrador bitch that is shy of going into water. What do you suggest I do to help her overcome this fear? Labradors and water A:…
What’s it like being hunted by a bloodhound?
I have lost count of the times random and faceless animal rights devotees have, on social media, offered a challenge for me to “get shot at and see how I…
Why do you miss when shooting?
You will probably have heard it at some point on a clay ground from the back of the cage: “You’re behind it, mate.” While it is meant well, there is…
Getting a first air rifle
My parents bought me a second-hand Diana Model 23 .177 air rifle in 1984 as my first air rifle. The bluing was well on its way out and the cheap…
William Powell Viscount sidelock ejector shotgun
Being of a certain age, I remember the William Powell catalogue arriving via Royal Mail as the harbinger of the coming season. Though it was full of all things new…
Why can some gundogs be averse to retrieving woodcock?
Have you ever stuffed your nose into the breast of a freshly killed woodcock? I doubt if you have, but if you did so you would almost certainly find the…
Sauer 100 Classic XT synthetic
The Sauer 100 Classic XT synthetic is designed as a no-nonsense practical sporting arm and the XT models are the entry-level rifles — offering value but with the Sauer quality.…
How will the new BBC guidelines on impartiality affect Chris Packham and Wild Justice?
Things are changing at the BBC. The new director-general, Tim Davie, recently issued strict guidelines about how ‘colleagues’ should avoid using social media in a manner that undermines the corporation’s…
Is a 20-bore better than a 12-bore for long, walked-up days?
The proposition was put to me recently that the ideal gun for walked-up shooting is a lightweight 20-bore side-by-side shotgun. It got me thinking, in these days where 20-bore mania…
Volvo XC90
I was surprised when I learned that the Volvo XC90 has been on our roads for 18 years. The overall silhouette hasn’t changed dramatically in two decades, but it is…